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Powerlevel10k: A Better Terminal Prompt for macOS

How I configure iTerm with Powerlevel10k for git status, execution time, and environment context in my prompt.

ToolsTerminal

I got tired of running git status constantly. Powerlevel10k shows branch, dirty state, and ahead/behind counts right in the prompt. It also shows command execution time, exit codes, and environment context (kubectl, virtualenv, aws profile).

Here's how to set it up on macOS.

Prerequisites

iTerm2: Download from iterm2.com

Homebrew:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Oh My Zsh:

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

Install Powerlevel10k

brew install romkatv/powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k

Edit ~/.zshrc and change the theme:

ZSH_THEME="powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k"

Apply changes:

source ~/.zshrc

Configure It

The configuration wizard starts automatically. If not:

p10k configure

The wizard asks about:

  • Prompt style (classic, rainbow, lean, pure)
  • Character set (unicode icons or ASCII)
  • Time format
  • Separators and spacing

Pick what you like. You can run p10k configure again anytime.

Install the Font

Powerlevel10k uses special characters for icons. Without the right font, you'll see placeholder boxes.

brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts
brew install --cask font-meslo-lg-nerd-font

In iTerm: Preferences → Profiles → Text → Font → MesloLGS NF

What I Get in My Prompt

  • Git branch with dirty/clean indicator
  • Ahead/behind commit counts
  • Command duration for commands over 3 seconds
  • Exit code when commands fail
  • kubectl context when in directories with Kubernetes files
  • Python virtualenv when activated
  • AWS profile when set

All this renders instantly. Powerlevel10k is async and cached - no noticeable delay.

Customization

Everything configurable is in ~/.p10k.zsh. You can:

  • Enable/disable segments
  • Change colors
  • Adjust spacing
  • Add custom segments

Key Takeaways

  • Powerlevel10k eliminates constant git status commands
  • Install the Meslo Nerd Font or icons won't display
  • Run p10k configure to customize the prompt style
  • Configuration lives in ~/.p10k.zsh for fine-tuning
  • Async rendering means no prompt delay even in large repos
  • Back up .p10k.zsh to replicate your setup on new machines
BT

Written by Bar Tsveker

Senior CloudOps Engineer specializing in AWS, Terraform, and infrastructure automation.

About meGet in touch

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